Sardana Creations

# 18 Did It!

# 18 did it!, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

If you are on my Friends list on Flickr you probably got all those seeking-for-salesroom-thrill I've been in the last two and a half months. But now I've got great news to share - the salesroom # 18 did it and I moved in last weekend! I share it with an artist who uses the half of it as a gallery. The rental agreement ends by the end of this year. I don't know if I'll stay there. The salesroom of my dreams will be available from the 1st of January, so I don't have many choices at the moment. Till then, welcome to

MaLou
Handmade with love

Wolf-Dietrich-Str. 31

Salzburg

Mon to Fri from 10 a.m. to  6:30 p.m.

Sat from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

!!!

Back From Munich

On My Desk 365/312, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

Back from craft fair in Munich. It was quite poor, considerably less participators than in Cologne last year. Moreover, it was designed for end-customers, not for retailers i.e. like the fair here in Salzburg. So I was surprised to see a stall of a company selling Delicas for 4 euros, they were offering them for 1 euro few months back at the fair in Salzburg. Oh well.

I purchased some supplies at three stalls only (new record, LOL!), something to make tags and cards. And:

On My Desk 365/312, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

These were totally unplanned. Note to self Stop-Buying-Beads was successfully ignored as always. I'll try to make crocheted bead necklace and bracelets next time.

On My Desk 365/312, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

Reds.

On My Desk 365/312, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

Grey & black.

On My Desk 365/312, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

My favourite shade of blue.

Hope you all had wonderful weekend.

xo,

Sardana

To Rent or Not To Rent?

To Rent or Not To Rent?, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

Looks like a shower room, but it isn't. A new salesroom in a shopping mall. Either I'll rent it and move in next week - or even this weekend - or I'll continue searching. *Sigh* We'll see.

Love,

Sardana

My First Hexagon

On My Desk 365/288, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

I did it! I went wrong at the beginning, but then turned over and started again. Now look at this. It even wasn't that difficult as I thought. Making hexagons can be really addictive. I love it. I LOVE it!
I soon will share with you a story how I make templates. I'm still the same, learning-by-doing, making-my-own-mistakes-kind-of-gal.

xo,

Sardana

Custom Order

On My Desk 365/278, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

Finished two pouches, two laundry bags and two smaller laundry bags for kindergarten, and sent to my customer to Vienna. I hope she will like them! She is one of my lovely regular customers, more orders will come soon.

Have a wonderful day!

Sardana

New Yumminess

New yumminess, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

These colours are making me happy! What about you?

Happy days!

Sardana

First Knit Project...

On My Desk 365/268, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

...after 9 years. A washcloth made from the softiest and most delightful organic cotton yarn I ever felt.
It was like riding a bike, even if I had to have a look what K and P do mean and how do they look like. How comes? Because I learned how to knit as I was 11 and with Russian instructions. Now I have to translate from English to German. Oh well. As long as I don't have a rubbish of four languages in my head I can live with it :)

I changed the border on original pattern and made another. My knitting is a bit wonky, kind of out of exercise.

Pattern: Two Hearts as One by Cathie Waldie on Ravelry, can be found here
Yarn: Bio-Baumwolle by G-B Warenhandels GmbH (pretty German, isn't it!), 110 m/50 g
Needles: Prym No 4
Finished size: appr. 20 x 23 cm/8 x 9 inches
Time invested: 1 1/2 hours

Happy knitting!

Sardana

Featured On Cuteable.com!

On My Desk 365/263, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

My brooches have been featured on cuteable.com last Friday! Thank you!!!!!

xo,

Sardana

The Fun Of Swaps

On My Desk 365/252, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

How I love swaps! I met so many talented and creative people from all over the world. This particular swap was a special one. I got to know an artist, Ariel of Pocketful of Pinwheels. You MUST see her fabric line!!! I got Willard The Gnome from her! As I first saw her designs I screamed 'she is THE rising star'!!!!! I really do believe it. Remember my words.

Thanks to Ariel I found the fun of blogging again. And she was very kind and blogged about our swap. 'Go take a peek!', as she said :)

Wish you all the best,

Sardana

Crowded Craft Desk At Home

On My Desk 365/262, originally uploaded by sardana_creations.

At long, long last I changed layout settings on my Flickr, so I can continue posting directly from Flickr which is way easier for me to keep blogging! Hurray! Not a remarkable step for the mankind, but for me.
So, back to my desk chaos which, honestly, is not chaotic, just crowded (thanks, Vanna, I was looking for this word!). I hope I won't stay here for long.
You see finished pouches, I started to sew them in my old shop. It makes my heart flip over each time when I see it, but it doesn't help me to awake from my hibernating yet. I just take a break and finish here and there pretty small bits of crafts. It's not the end of the world, I'll come back. Some day...

Happy hibernating!

Sardana

New? Mine?

One of them will be mine, I'm sure... Just have to wait a while... I'm talking about a new salesroom. I didn't know that the rent for a 12 m² salesroom on Griesgasse in our city costs more than 2500 EUR. Holy moly. You know, the location. Getreidegasse costs much more. Oh well. Now I know that :) Pictures from my inspections :)

Have a wonderful day!

Sardana

Last pictures of my former shop

Yeah, it is already an "ex-shop". I'm looking for a new salesroom since the last one was without heating. It was planned to give it a try during the summer time only. I never thought that it would run so successful, I'd meet so many amazing people, my new customers, neighbours, just saying Hello and wishing me luck, get custom orders every day - shortly, I had the best time of my life! Of course I am encouraged to go this way. I'll keep update!

So. Time for pictures now.

Thanks to all my customers! I will be back, I promise!

Sardana

My Tiny Shop

Today I'd like to show you places around my shop. I'm just hurry up to upload all pictures I'm taking the whole time, if I won't do that I'll lose the blogging fun again.

Sleeping beauty:

 
The terrace where I'd love to hold embroidery & sewing courses for children (ahem, before cleaning):



My little shop. Welcome when you'll be in Salzburg (Nonntaler Hauptstrasse 8)!

xo,

Sardana

DIY Sign Garland Style

DIY sign for the shop. Why ordering "normal" signs like everywhere else when you have a whole creative shop/labour/atelier? So I decided to make my own handwritten-appliqued-embroidered sign.

:: I drew needed letters,

:: cut them out,

:: laid on Vliesofix (it's a double sided adhesive thing for appliques)

:: and cut again with 0,5 cm allowance, forgot to do in the mirror-inverted direction, so had to cut twice (don't repeat my mistakes!),

:: ironed cutten letters on chosen fabrics,

:: pulled the paper away,

:: ironed on my looking-like-garland pieces of fabric (I rounded corners with a plate),

:: and, finally, embroidered letters around with different stitches (it took me an eternity!).

:: I then sewed garland pieces together,

:: placed them on the ribbon,

:: sewed them on,

:: and voilà - my selfmade sign garland style was ready to hang on!

One letter is done:

And now comes:

Guess the name of my shop (it's pretty difficult). The yellow letter is a lower-case O, others are as shown on the second picture. If you'll guess it right you'll get a brand new lavender sachet made by me today.

OK, I think no one will guess it right, so here you go:

it's MaLou (I played with letters from my daughter's name). 

MaLou

Handmade with love

 

First week in the shop

The first day I "really" started to sell, is the 21st of July. It was a terrific, overwhelming, just fantastic feeling to see how people do encourage, congratulate, and, moreover, BUY my crafts!!! I still can't believe it, I feel proud and very grateful. My first customer spent 20 euros in my shop and it's always by me. I even think on frame it :) Some items are already sold out, lavender sachets for example. My XL pouches are also best seller.

That's how it looked like at the beginning:

 

 

Have a great time!

Sardana

Yakut Ysyakh July 2009, Obertauern, Tweng, Austrian Alps

Yakut Ysyakh July 2009, Obertauern, Tweng, Austrian Alps
Originally uploaded by sardana_creations (back home)

As promised, picture from this year's Ysyakh. Making fire for the blessing.

Yakut Ysyakh & Prodolzhenie Banketa,..

...which means the continuation of the banquett. 
Well, I choosed Obertauern, Tweng, to celebrate this year's Ysyakh. We started on the July, 9th at a nice hotel in the middle of the Austrian Alps, not far away from Salzburg. My countrypeople and friends came from the Czech Republik, Poland, Austria, Germany, France, Belgium and Burkina Faso. I couldn't get visa for people from Yakutia, the Austrians changed their regulations, but this sad fact should (and will) be another thread for another media. Anyway, we had great days till Sunday in the Alps, got to know new people, drove to Salzburg for sightseeing tour, celebrated Ysyakh, organised quiz games, two disco nights, in other words, we had great time! Then on Sunday I invited countrywomen from Austria and Burkina Faso to spend few days by me in Salzburg. As if we didn't have enough of each other we got invited to Carinthia, and we packed our luggage again and drove to Carinthia, near Klagenfurt this time. After meeting with another countrywomen there, trips to Klagenfurt, the castle Hochosterwitz, Velden on Woerthersee, two barbeque parties, lazy swimming pool breaks and tons of caviar we came back home last Sunday. I still can't believe, but I needed a break before the great adventure. Pictures tomorrow, the batteries of my mouse are died and need to be charged.

Thanks for reading :)

Premiere

I didn't imagine HOW exciting will the shop opening be! I was almost 7 weeks abroad and I am very grateful to the ex-owner for her patience and waiting for me. I got the key last Thursday and haven't got time to realise everything yet. I was too busy - in its former life it was an organic food shop/cafeteria and the cleaning/painting part took so long. Yesterday I moved in with all my fabrics, notions, papeterie and books. It IS the perfect craft place now!My daughter was the best help I could imagine, and she'd love to help me selling there!

I was lucky enough to get a shop with all its displays and other furniture so I hadn't have to invest anything on this side of outgoings. Moreover, I've got so much encouragement from my friends (as if they'd prefer to see me still here than abroad)!

There is one thing I haven't decided yet - how to name my shop??????? I sell my own creations there, my label is Sardana Creations, Handmade In Austria. Since I support my friends and other crafters and take their creations on commissional basis I need an other name for my shop. Hmmm, that's what I haven't decided yet.

There are some pictures of the beginning of the next great adventure:

The former shop-owner can't take her furniture so I'll have to improvise (see on next pictures):

 

After painting & cleaning:

 

 

 

After moving in (my creative space):

 

The right side of my shop:

Cotton trims made in Hall/Tyrolia:

Prototypes sale:

The beginning: handmade accessories made from beads and mammoth's tusk:

Choose your fabric for pouches & bags + tissue huggers from my friend from Germany:

 

My desk there which I'm thinking to replace with a bigger one from home:

I need baskets here:

 

More will follow.

Have a great time & see you on Nonntaler Hauptstrasse 8 in Salzburg!

Sardana

Today I feel like blogging...

Just read my old posts and couldn't believe how many changes happened in my life since I started blogging.

:: I'm organising Yakut Ysyakh, it's going to be the 2nd in Austria. I started to work on it in January, and didn't even think which dimensions it will get. We had 30 guests last year. This year my countrypeople will join us from everywhere, even from Burkina Faso (!). Calm down - my mantra for the next months. I found a beautiful place to celebrate Ysyakh, but the most difficult issue is getting visas for guests from Yakutia.

:: I was in Brussels in February, to meet our first President (of Republik Sakha), Mr. M. Nikolaev, he is #4 in the Russian government now. Ahem, he didn't come because of me over there, he just wanted to meet Sakha expats from Europe. So we were 20 there, I learned a whole lot wonderful people to know, they were from Estonia, Sweden, Sankt Petersburgh, Belgium, France, Germany and Austria. Mr. Nikolaev, me and a lady from Belgium are founder of a new organisation which is for Sakha expats in Europe (though that's anyway what I'm working for on my own, I just founded an association 2006).

:: I quit my part time job to became a full time crafter. I mean who needs mansions and hotels at the recession time? I used to sell them in Salzburg and Upper Austria. I don't regret this time, not at all. Got so many beautiful places to see, new connections and met very interesting people.

:: I sell my items in several shops here in Salzburg. Started to list on Etsy not long time ago. Stopped listings on DaWanda since they installed pretty difficult new rules for sellers. My creations at landbased boutiques are selling good, DaWanda is died, and Etsy? Oh well, it goes pretty slowly. No panic, Watson!

:: Of course it's pretty weird to give my items for wholesale, but I'm SO undecided regarding going-abroad-issue. To leave or not to leave? Or, better, to leave now or later? I've got a very interesting offer, to open my own shop in Salzburg. On one side I would like to start yesterday, on the other it would mean to stay here for another few years. We'll see, maybe I get what I want (I would like to be as flexible as possible, which means rental agreement I'm kind of fighting for, to my conditions.  

:: Got an offer for a book, ridiculously called From Pupil To Craft Queen (it's not my title!). Imagine my laughing hearable within a radius of 5 km. I was very polite and said NO, THANKS. I still have a whole lot to learn.

:: Started new promo campaign in Yakutia. I can survive it when people recognize me, anyway, it only happens once a year when I get over there. Haha, I'm a little twinkle star there. On one side it's still pretty embarrassing for me, on the other it helps immense to get funds for my social projects, so I have to live with it.

:: Didn't decide yet if I'd like to continue to blog on Typepad or switch to Blogspot, should make a pro and contra list. Deadline: someday in May.

That's a little bit about my life. Thanks for reading. 

Sardana   

First labels

I got my first labels!! It gives the feeling now it's 'official'. I wanted to celebrate this 'significant event', and started to sew pouches for all my friends in Yakutsk. Why Yakutsk? Because a countrywoman was on a visit here in Salzburg and could take them with her. She left Salzburg already. And I didn't get them done before her flight. I'm not sad at all. Let's check positive sides:

+ it was a fun to develope pattern as first, I needed three pouches before I got the 'perfect shape',
+ even more fun was getting fabrics together, combine, dismiss - just playing around,
+ learning by doing: I can say now, I hit the zip secret (after breaking the bobbin not long time ago),
+ got more ideas for further projects,
+ my own style comes to shine,
+ now I'm ready to start to create more.

 

It's a lot, isn't it? I decided to put all pouches in my Etsy and sew the same again for my friends (as long as I have the fabrics, by the way). I buy fabrics mostly on my travels, therefore cannot carry whole bolts, LOL! So my collection will always be 'limited edition'. Take your chance! Just visit my shop :)

xo,

Sardana